Switch



July 25, 1933- J. w. Fn'z GERALD 1,919,278

swlTcH Filed March A19. 1931 Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED *STATES JOHN W. FITZ GERALDQOF MILWAUKEEWISOONSIN, AssIGNogR' To BRIGGs aS'IRA'FIOITY CORPORATION, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREV vsWITorr Application mea March 19, l1931. seal No. 523.783. y f

Thisv machine relatesto improvements in electrical'switches and'refers more particularly to a small toggle'type switch of the general ,characterillustrated in the copending application SeriaLNo. 420,986, and has as its objectto provide a switch ofthispcharacter which is capable of' quick and ready assembly to facilitate' its manufacture in quantities. f y

v,Anotherobject of this invention resides in the provision of an improved switch of thecharacter described wherein movement of the operatingmember or handle positively moves the movablefswitch member with. re-

'ssplect to the stationary switch contacts to overcome any tendency to retard vthe action of the movable switch member and insure its movement to open position with a snap action.

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision of V`a'n'imp'roved switch of the character described in Vwhich the movable contactor and its"o1perating.l

mechanism form a unitary structure. i

With the abov'eand other Objectsin view which will appear as 'the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novelconstruction, combination and' arrangement of parts substantially as'hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appendedv claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment' of the hereindisclosed invention may be made-,as come within the scope ofthe claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example vof aphysical ,embodiment-of my .invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised -for the practical vapplicationofgthe principles thereof, and in which.: f

Figure 1 is a view partly in transverse sec! tionand partly in elevation of a switch struc.- ture embodying my invention.; j

t Figure 2..is aview partlyrin longitudinal lsection and partlyin toplplan taken through Figure 1 on the planeofthe line2'2; and *Figure 3 is a' viewftaken Atransversely through Figure lfonthe plane'gof theline Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing iny which like numerals designate like parts, -the numeral rrepresents the body or housing of a switch embodying this inventionwhichis preferably tubular and formed of molded insulatingV material "having its inner end substantially closed by a wall 6 through Awhich ya pair of stationary switch members 7 project. The ,Y

switch members 7 aremaintained inspaced relation as they. pass through the housing wall 6 by an insert 8 and have outstruck ribs y 9 engaging the opposite sides of the wall 6 l to reta-in the members in position. y The in- 'y ner'ends of themembers 7 are directedy angularly to dispose theirextreme inner end portions at one side of the longitudinal aXis of thehousing to form stationary contacts'lOv which are adapted to be bridged `by a con# l tactor 11 movable therebetween; The outer ends 12 of the members 7 project considerably `from the wall 6 and providev terminals to which conductors (not shown) maybe connected.v 1

The" outer end ofthe housing 5 has an annular flange 13 and the external surface thereof inwardly ofthe flange is threaded, as l at 14, to receive a clamping nut 15 whereby the switch may be secured in an opening 16 in a suitable panel 17.- At diametricallyop- Y posite sides the housinghas fiat surfaces 18 adjacent itsiiange to assure the .positioning lof the switch on the panel 1,7 in the desired manner, and preferably so that its operating handle 19, to belater described, is movable infa true vertical-or horizontal plane asthe casemay require. It'will be noted that the nut 15 is mounted behind the panel 17 vand is therefore concealed. to provide a neat external appearance. v

As stated thestationary switch contacts 10-` are spaced apart and the distance therebetween is such as to snugly receive the movable bridging contactor 11. In the present instance, the Acontactor. -11 is 4formed by a rivet soA e headed at both ends andsecured in the outer end of a switch lever20 vof'ber or other insulating material. l The switch lever 20 together with the con,-l

tactor 11 carried therebyftorms the movable member and is pivotally connected with the actuator or handle memberl 19 by a pinQB so that the handle 19 and the movable switch ilement may be assembled with the housing as a'unit. A

The handle member 19 may be of any desired configuration and in the present instance is approximately pear or cene shaped fith'its inner enlarged end ltorminga trunstantially V shaped, as at 26, to cooperate with a spring urged plunger 27 to yieldably retain the lever Q0 in either ci' two positions with respect to the handle member, as will vbe later described. Theplunger 27 is slidablymounted in an aXialbore 21 in the handlemember 'and 'yieldably urged, outwardly of the bore by a spring` 28, into engagement with theV end of the lever member.

. The assembled handle member and movable switch member are mounted in the housing 5 by means of a pair of-pintle pin's'oi f runionsd passed through aligned openings 25in the wall of ythe housing` just inwardly of its flange 13 and secured vin diametrically opposed openings in the handle member.

The aXis of the trunnions 24 passes through the center of the sphere shaped inner end portion of the handle member to permit the handle to be swung thereabout While maintaining the open end of the housing closed.

With the handle member and movable witch lever assembled with the housing, the

action of the spring 28 yieldably maintains the handle member in a position 'engaging its medial portion with either the'lower por tion or upper poi-tien of the peripheral edge t the bore in the housing 5 and therinovable switch member inneriiree end engaging the inner wall of the bore; The handle member and the movable switch member are thus normallyT maintained in positions with their lringitudinal axes orming'an obtuse angle, and with the parts in theirpositions illustrated inr Figurel the movable switch member 2O is in its contact making position with the contactor' 11 bridging the stationary contacts 10.v i l To disengage the contactor 11 from the contacts, thehandle member 19 is moved up-` wardly. During this yupward movement of the actuating member or handle, the pivot pin 23 forming the connection between the movable switch member 20 and the vhandle member swings in van arc and moves rearwardly into the housing, and inasmuch as the inner iree end of the 'movable switch member 2O rests on 'the lower portion of the housing inner wall, such rearward movement on the lpart of the pivotpin 23 positively moves the movable switch member inwardly` as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure l so that a positive inward motion is imparted to the contacter to Vovercomeany tendency to-l ward mechanical freezing between the switch contacts and to insure a free and quick opening Laction as the upward movementvot the handle member is continued.

As will be apparent the movable switch member 2O remains in its Contact making position until the longitudinal aX-is of the handle member andconsequently that of the plunger 27 passes a position axially. aligned with the longitudinal axis of the lever 20 at which time the action of the spring 28 quickly snaps they lever 20 to its opposite position.

Frem the foregoing description takenin connection with vthe'accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art to which an invention of this character'appertains, that I provide -a compact and novel 'switch' construction in which-a positivemotion is imparted to the movable switch member prior to its spring actuated movement to insurefreedoin of vaction and in which manufacture, and particularlyassembly ot the switch, is greatly facilitated by reason-of the fact that the movable ele-V ments are assembledwith each other prior to being mounted "in the'housing. I claim :l

1. In aswitch of thecharacter described,

a cylindrical casing having an open outer end, a knob. forming apclosure for the open end comprising a sphericalsegment having v-a diameter substantially equal l'to the inner diameter ot said open endmeans mounting the segment for rotational movement on an axis through the center of the sphere, ahan-y vdle termed on the side ot said segment 1remote Jfrom said casing, and being engageable with the edge of said casing to vlimit the movement of the sphericalsegment, a switch element pivotally mounted on said segment on the opposite side ofthe center from said handle, andresilient means mountedin said handle 'and vengaging the' segment to ei'ect snap action'rof saidswitch. i

2. In a switch of thecharacter described,

al cylindrieal'casing having an open outer end, a knob forming a'closure'forv the Avopen end comprising, a spherical segment having va diameter substantallyequal to the inner ydiameter of said open end, means mounting i said segment'for pivotal 'movement aboutA an axis passing through the center of said'sphere7 a handle formedon'the'outer portion offsaid segment toproJect from the outer open' end is positively moved during the'wpivotal Ilnofve- Y ment of the spherical segment, .and a, spring disposed Within the spheroalsegment and i engageable with the adjacent portion of the e switch element to afford a snap action :for the switch.` i l Y JOHN W. FITZ GERALDk 

